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Iconic Chevy AXED by GM as car is killed off by EVs in symbolic move amid Biden's anti-gas push
It is one of America's most iconic cars and has starred in movies alongside Ryan Gosling and Denzel Washington.
But the Chevrolet Malibu is no more - ditched so parent company General Motors can focus on eletric vehicles and hybrids.
GM - which confirmed the decision Thursday - has sold more than 10 million Malibus since 1964 worldwide and will end production in November.
The gasoline-powered sedan was a stalwart of family garages for decades after launch. But sales started to decline in the early 2000s as the SUV became popular and pickup truck sales grew.
However, it was President Joe Biden's push for for automakers to move away from gas cars to electric has proved to be the final nail in the coffin for the Malibu.
The Detroit automaker is investing $390 million at its Kansas assembly plant to build next-generation Chevrolet Bolt EVs instead.
Chevrolet, owned by GM, is to stop making the icomic Malibu. Here is a 1964 Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu SS Convertible
Ryan Gosling driving a a 1973 Chevy Malibu in Drive (2011)
The 1973 Chevy Malibu in Drive
Ford last year said it would stop making three gas models - including the Escape, Edge and Transit Connect van - as it forges ahead with EVs. Jaguar in March said it was killing its last gas cars for the US market.
GM has been shifting away from cars in favor of building more SUVs in recent years. It had already halted production of the prior generation Bolt in December.
The Malibu is the last remaining Chevrolet car offered in the United States besides the Corvette. GM ended production of the Chevrolet Camaro late last year.
The Malibu has featured in the movies and TV shows.
A 1973 Malibu was driven by Ryan Gosling's character in Drive, and a more recent model was in the Denzel Washington movie Equalizer 2.
Those watching classic shows like Colombo and Bewitched - flimed in the 1970s and 1980s - also saw the car.
In 1964, the Chevrolet Malibu roared onto the scene, as am upmarket version of the already popular Chevrolet Chevelle.
It came in a variety of styles. There was an upmarket four-door sedan, a sporty two-door-coupe hardtop, and a practical two-seat station wagon.
With a variety on engines - including a high-performance one - and plush interiors, it became a hit among Americans.
But tastes for cars are changing - with bigger SUVs now popular. And automakers are increasingly looking to produce more EVs.
In March, president Joe Biden rolled out drastic new rules that force automakers to focus on EVs and hybrids and slimit the sale of gas-powered vehicles by 2032
Midsize sedans like the Malibu were once the top-selling type of car in the US, a stalwart of family garages nationwide.
But their sales started to decline in the early 2000s as SUVs became more prominent and pickup truck sales grew. Now the U.S. auto market is dominated by SUVs and trucks.
Denzel Washington driving a Chevrolet Malibu LT 2017 in The Equalizer 2, which hit theaters in 2018
A 1965 Chevrolet Malibu is displayed at the company's booth during Guangzhou 2013 Auto Show in China's southern city of Guangzhou, Nov. 21, 2013. The Malibu, the last midsize car made by a Detroit automaker, is heading for the junkyard
Alan Batey, president GM North American poses with the 2016 Chevy Malibu
A Chevrolet logo is shown at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Sept. 13, 2023. The Chevrolet Malibu, the last midsize car made by a Detroit automaker, is heading for the junkyard
Full-size pickups from Ford, Chevrolet and Ram are the top selling vehicles in America, and the top-selling non pickup is Toyota's RAV4 small SUV.
Last year midsize cars made up only 8 percent of US new vehicle sales, but it was 22 percent as recently as 2007, according to Motorintelligence.com.
Still, Americans bought 1.3 million of the cars last year in a segment dominated by the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord. GM sold just over 130,000 Malibus last year, 8.5 percent fewer than in 2022.
Sales rose to nearly 230,000 after a redesign for the 2016 model year , but much of those were at low profits to rental car companies.
Over the years, GM said it sold over 10 million Malibus, making nine generations since its debut.
GM's factory in Kansas City, Kansas, which now makes the Malibu and the Cadillac XT4 small SUV, will stop making the Malibu in November and the XT4 in January.
The plant will get a $390 million retooling to make a new version of the Chevrolet Bolt small electric car.
The plant will begin producing the Bolt and XT4 on the same assembly line in late 2025, giving the plant the flexibility to respond to customer demands, the company said.